Jackson

Located along Interstate 94 in Michigan, the City of Jackson is centrally located, about 40 miles west of Ann Arbor and 35 miles south of Lansing. With a population of about 35,000 residents, it is the principal city of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is composed of about 10.99 square miles, 0.12 of which is water. The town was bought at 2 dollars an acre, and in 1829, two brothers started to build the town, which was first called Jacksonopolis. In 1838, they changed the name of the town to Jackson. The birthplace of the Republican Party, the Coney Island hotdog, and Michigan's first prison, the city is also known for its role in the development of the auto industry.